Guthrie and Le Bourgeois up against Guernsey trio

ENGLAND netballer Serena Guthrie and Premiership rugby player Michael Le Bourgeois will lead Jersey’s charge at the Channel Islands Sports Awards later this month, after being named on the shortlist for the 2018 Sports Personality of the Year.

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The 2018 CI Sports Awards will take place on Thursday 31 January

Following a career-defining year for both Islanders, which included a Commonwealth Games gold medal for Guthrie and a Championship Player of the Year gong for Le Bourgeois, the pair have been selected to join a trio of Guernsey contenders in a battle for the top accolade at ITV Channel’s annual sporting celebration.

World champion lawn bowlers Lucy Beere and Alison Merrien have been included after picking up separate individual global titles, while fellow Sarnian Bradley Watson completes the line-up in recognition of his efforts in collecting the English super-flyweight boxing title.

The main award, sponsored by Betway, will again be decided by a public vote, with the winner being announced live on air at the Royal Jersey Showground on Thursday 31 January.

The Channel Islands’ leading juniors, teams and coaches will also be in attendance with hopes of claiming either the Praxis Rising Star, Blue Islands Team of the Year or Source Recruitment Coach of the Year award.

Guernsey cyclist Sam Culverwell is joined by three Jersey nominees for the Rising Star crown – British champion swimmer Isaac Dodds, international para-athlete Grace Greenwood and world championship surfer Will Masterman – while Dodds’ coach and team have also been shortlisted.

Nathan Jégou has been named on a five-strong shortlist for Coach of the Year, having led Jersey’s swimmers to a best-ever performance at the Commonwealth Games, and Victoria College Prep teacher Ben Silva is also in contention following a second consecutive national football title for his school. Guernsey triathlon’s Amy Critchlow, Guernsey Raiders coach Jordan Reynolds and Alderney FC manager Josh Concanen also feature, while Calligo Tigers are among the hopefuls for Team of the Year for producing Jersey’s record breakers at Gold Coast 2018. They go up against Guernsey Raiders, Alderney FC and Guernsey’s road relay athletics team.